


holding hands as enemies do

by alexanderlightweight



Series: Words of October 2019 [15]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Injuries, Sharing Body Heat, Trapped, smitten idiots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-11-28 16:36:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20969669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexanderlightweight/pseuds/alexanderlightweight
Summary: Being stuck in a hole in the ground, cold and with his magic on the fritz and an unconscious shadowhunter next to him, is not Magnus' first choice of a night out.  Then again, sometimes even the bleakest beginnings have a hopeful ending.





	holding hands as enemies do

**Author's Note:**

> Finally!! Filling in a square for my fluff bingo card: sharing body heat

Magnus scowled, trying to use magic to create a less hostile environment and hissing through his teeth when nothing but minute blue sparks formed before dissolving into the frigid air.

He was trapped. Well and truly trapped.

Well, _ they _ were trapped. 

Magnus still wasn’t sure if the shadowhunter who had somehow just _ happened _ to get stuck with him was an enemy or merely a hindrance. 

It was with great reluctance that he gritted his teeth and allowed a shiver to run through him. One quickly led to another and soon his body was wracked with a natural attempt to warm himself.

If it didn’t go against both his principles of respecting the boundaries of someone’s consent and his own rules of avoiding getting too close to nephilim, he would have crowded close to his companion and only other source of warmth.

It didn’t take much longer for said company to rally. Magnus almost missed it, too caught in trying to catch and harness his slowly recovering magic stores. There was a rustle, a near soundless intake of air and then nothing.

A tactic that would have worked on many people, but Magnus was older and wiser and also a fair bit more experienced than most.

“Pretending to be unconscious does nothing to help you,” Magnus informed them, “we’re stuck here in what seems to be a trap for those with magic.”

“We? Who're you?”

“Magnus Bane,” Magnus said with a smirk he knew they couldn’t see, “the High Warlock of Brooklyn and very much _not_ at your service.

“Uh, Alec. Alec Lightwood, Interim Head of the New York Institute.” Was said and then, “you said something about a trap for magic?”

“Yes, mine is unavailable for the moment,” Magnus said and made sure his biting tone promised a threat, “and while you might be tempted to use one of your angelic blades to give us light. I would warn you to be very careful with your movements should you risk that.”

There was a murmur of confirmation and then a soft, muted glow started to form and Magnus knew that he was seeing a witchlight ignite as it was slowly brought from a pocket into the open. 

“Is this-“ the shadowhunter started to say as he raised it up to give them light and then he stopped and just stared.

Magnus was just as frozen, though he doubted it was for the same reasons. HIs glamour was down and the shadowhunter was no doubt cataloguing him as a threat. Magnus, unfortunately, was caught by how very pretty his companion looked in the glow of the witchlight. 

“Uhm,” the shadowhunter said eloquently and licked his lips, as if trying to find words, “you’re ah-”

“A warlock?” Magnus asked, narrowing his eyes dangerously. 

“Really beautiful,” was blurted out at the same time as he spoke and Magnus watched, entranced and confused as a shadow that could only be a dark blush trickled up the shadowhunter's cheeks. “Oh my god,” was muttered, “I can’t believe I just said that.” 

The witchlight tumbled from his hand and Magnus unthinkingly caught it, blinking as the cave they were trapped in lit up with unholy and debauched red tinted light. 

“Wow.” The shadowhunter, _Alec_ said and Magnus could see his crimson tinted eyes blink rapidly, “that’s hot.”

“I think you hit your head.”

“Probably,” Alec said, “but it was worth it.”

“Really?” Magnus asked, unwillingly amused and more than a little smitten.

“I may change my mind later but right now? Very, _ very _ worth it.”

Magnus couldn’t help but feel just the slightest bit charmed, even if there was a reminder warning him in the back of his mind that just because this shadowhunter, a _ Lightwood _ found him attractive with a head wound, didn’t mean he would once healed.

“Can I?” Alec asked and Magnus held out his hand with the witchlight, expecting Alec to take it back and the shadowhunter stared at it in disappointment and looked back up to him with a frown and motioned to his other hand.

“Oh,” Magnus said and offered his free hand instead and was surprised when instead of just taking it, fingers intertwined with his own. 

“You looked cold,” Alec told him worriedly, as if they both weren’t shivering. “Let me,” and then without releasing Magnus’ hand, he used his other hand to pull free his stele. Magnus tightened his grip warningly, and the shadowhunter immediately let go. Which hadn’t actually been Magnus’ plan, he’d just meant it as a warning to remind Alec not to put the stele anywhere near him.

“Sorry, sorry I’ll just-“ and Alec fumbled with his shirt, pulling it up to bare a rune scarred and toned stomach and then he pressed his stele to his skin with a hissed exhale as he drew a rune. “That should help,” he said, tucking the stele back somewhere and then taking Magnus’ hand again. 

His grip was warmer now, dry and a little coarse but the heat he was giving off made Magnus unthinkingly tug on him. It unbalanced Alec enough that he stumbled in the small space, practically landing in Magnus’ lap.

“Huddling for warmth is a very effective strategy,” Magnus said quietly, voice hoarse from the sudden dryness of his throat. 

“That sounds very smart, good plan,” Alec said equally breathless and this close Magnus could see how long his lashes were. 

“Your head though,” Magnus said and he couldn’t help the downturning of his lips, “if your runes are working, you should use an iratze.” 

There was a petulant mumble, too low for him to make up and then Alec sighed, “you’re right.” He said and even his voice was different, more authoritative and Magnus didn’t like the implication that he was suddenly going to lose the Alec who blushed and called him beautiful and held his hand.

“Stay,” Magnus said, “it’s better for warmth.” And it was also an act of trust, to let himself be this close as Alec once again used his stele to draw a rune and Magnus watched with some degree of worry as hazel eyes cleared, the dazed, warm expression of Alec’s face fading into something more drawn and worn. It made Magnus’ brittle heart ache in sympathy and also loneliness as Alec averted his eyes, shifting uncomfortable in Magnus’ lap and not moving, but refusing to look at him.

“Still think them beautiful, shadowhunter?” Magnus asked with acrid mockery, because it was better to crush all hope than to let it simmer with the illusion of something that could never be.

Alec turned so quickly that their noses brushed, both of them inhaling and Magnus couldn’t help the tightening of the fingers he still had curled around Alec’s.

“Yes,” was admitted after a moment, “everything about you is beautiful. I’d be lying if I said otherwise.” 

“Oh,” Magnus said and the unexpected and soft words were like a siege to the battlements of his heart and a wall that had been in place for a century crumbled just a little. 

“Sorry, that must be weird,” Alec muttered and Magnus shook his head.

“Strange as all this is, for some reason... I trust you.” Magnus admitted and it felt dangerous to do so. Baring his heart opened up the possibility for so much more pain than just Alec knowing of his ability to use a witchlight.

“I trust you too,” was said hurriedly, as if to chase Magnus admission with a promise, “I won’t tell anyone about it.”

“A secret between leaders,” Magnus teased.

“Something like that.” Alec agreed and shifted, letting himself rest more heavily on Magnus’ admittedly numb legs. Magnus was considering suggesting they readjust themselves when Alec let out a mortified sigh and dropped his head to Magnus’ shoulders, “I just realized something.”

“Yes?” Magnus asked, hoping it wasn’t something pesky and troublesome like Alec being in a relationship with someone else.

“If my stele works on my runes, it means I can send a fire message.”

“Drat,” Magnus muttered and against him Alec let out a little scoff. “I only said that,” Magnus added, “because I may for some reason trust you, however I’m not exactly willing to put my life and freedom in the hands of your shadowhunters.”

Unfortunately, the not-fib worked and Alec moved back from his shoulder, a stubborn mulish frown on his face and Magnus wanted it to disappear back into that sweet smile from before. 

“Do you have a warlock friend you trust?” Alec asked, brow furrowed, “you’re not wrong and I don’t think it would be a good idea to notify my team either way. They’re not exactly known for their delicacy and they’d probably bring the cave in on us, trying to hack their way in.”

“Let’s avoid that. My dear friend, Ragnor can help.” Magnus offered quickly, “he’ll grumble about it but he has enough of my belongings that he can link a portal to us. If I vouch for you he won’t consider you a threat and he’ll pester us with hot toddies and extract payment in the form of forcing us to listen to melodramatic and loquacious anecdotes.” 

“That sounds like a price I’d be willing to pay,” Alec said and then a little quieter, “and you trust him?”

“Completely,” Magnus vowed.

The message to Ragnor was quick and to the point, Magnus using tell Alec exactly how to write it and what to say and where to send it. It was only a few moments later when a portal formed, shimmering with light and Magnus used the opportunity to tuck the witchlight into Alec’s shirt pocket. 

“I trust him, okay?” Magnus asked again and was rewarded not with Alec just following him, but with Alec readjusting the grip of their hands so that they were holding hands, as intimate friends and lovers might do. 

“Okay.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on tumblr as [alexanderlightweight](https://alexanderlightweight.tumblr.com)


End file.
